Machesney Park, Illinois
|title=USGS detail on Newtown|accessdate=2007-10-21}} | prominence_imperial = | lat_d = 42 | lat_m = 21 | lat_s = 18 | lat_NS = N | long_d = 89 | long_m = 02 | long_s = 27 | long_EW = W | highest = | highest_location = | highest_region = | highest_state = | highest_elevation_imperial = | highest_lat_d = | highest_lat_m = | highest_lat_s = | highest_lat_NS = | highest_long_d = | highest_long_m = | highest_long_s = | highest_long_EW = | lowest = | lowest_location = | lowest_region = | lowest_state = | lowest_elevation_imperial = | lowest_lat_d = | lowest_lat_m = | lowest_lat_s = | lowest_lat_NS = | lowest_long_d = | lowest_long_m = | lowest_long_s = | lowest_long_EW = | length_imperial = | length_orientation = | area_imperial = 13.00 | area_land_imperial = 12.68 | area_water_imperial = 0.32 | area_urban_imperial = | area_metro_imperial = | population = 23,499 | population_date = 2010 | population_urban = | population_metro = | population_density_imperial = 758 | population_density_urban_imperial = | population_density_metro_imperial = | established = | date = | government = | government_location = | government_region = | government_state = | government_elevation_imperial = | government_lat_d = | government_lat_m = | government_lat_s = | government_lat_NS = | government_long_d = | government_long_m = | government_long_s = | government_long_EW = | leader_type = Village President | leader = Tom Strickland link | timezone = CST | utc_offset = -6 | timezone_DST = CDT | utc_offset_DST = -5 | postal_code = 61103, 61111, 61115 | area_code = 815 | code = | whs_name = | whs_year = | whs_number = | whs_region = | whs_criteria = | iucn_category = | free = | free_type = | map = Illinois Locator Map.PNG | map_caption = Location of Machesney Park within Illinois | map_background = | map_locator = Illinois | map1 = | map1_caption = | commons = Machesney Park, Illinois | statistics = | website = http://www.machesney-park.il.us/ | footnotes = }} Machesney Park is a village located in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,499 at the 2010 census, up from 20,759 at the 2000 census. Machesney Park is a suburb of Rockford, Il and is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Machesney Park is located at (42.354989, -89.040827). According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of , of which (or 97.54%) is land and (or 2.46%) is water. Demographics As of the census of 2010, there were 23,499 people, 9,351 households.. The population density was 758 people per square mile (190.1/km²). There were 9,351 housing units at an average density of 301.5 per square mile (115.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 91.47% White, 2.83% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.63% from other races, and 2.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.99% of the population. In 2000 there were 7,756 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.04. In the village the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.46% from 20 to 24, 12.41% from 25 to 34, 22.83% from 35 to 49, 19.81% from 50 to 64 and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. There were about as many females as males (9 more males). In 2000 the median income for a household in the village was $48,315, and the median income for a family was $53,788. Males had a median income of $38,619 versus $23,279 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,685. About 3.2% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over. History The name Machesney Park has its roots in Machesney Airport, which was located on the main street North Second where the Machesney Mall stands today, which was founded in 1927 by Fred Machesney, a Barnstorming aviator. (Note: The Machesney Elementary School across from where the airport was also got named after Fred Machesney's airport) The airfield was Rockford's main airport until the 1950s, when the Greater Rockford airport came on line. In 1928 a famous flight from Rockford to Sweden took off from the field. The attempt failed as the two pilots crashed in Greenland, later being safely rescued. Machesney Field was used by the Army Air Corps during World War II as a stop by fighter aircraft being ferried to the Soviet Union. This area of unincorporated Winnebago county saw growth pick up after World War II. This led to the formation of North Park, a public water district and volunteer firefighting company, and the unofficial name for the area. Located next to the Machesney Airport, and located on IL route 251, was a Hires Root Beer stand. It stood out for two reasons; it was shaped like a giant barrel of root beer, and this shape was silhouetted against the flat horizon of the adjacent airport. Machesney Airport closed in 1974, and soon thereafter did the root beer stand. The last known whereabouts of the famous root beer stand...the west side of Hwy.251, north of the mall, under the large powerlines, in the woods where cattle feed. Several years later the Machesney Park Mall was built on the former airport land. The Mall featured an antique aircraft hanging in the center court. The airplane was to respect Fred Machesney. The first stores to open in the mall were Prange Way and Pranges. The two stores were kitty-corner to each other and they built an indoor walkway that you could walk between the stores. You could then watch the work that was going on in the mall before it completely opened.http://www.labelscar.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/scan0020.jpg http://www.labelscar.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/scan0017.jpg Machesney Park became a village in 1981, after being approved in a referendum. Jerry D. Bolin is the current village president. Education The Village is home of Harlem High School, which is part of the Harlem School District 122. The Harlem District serves the communities of Loves Park, Machesney Park, and southern Roscoe. Village presidents * Linda Vaughn (D) 2001-2009 * Tom Strickland ® 2009-2013 * Jerry D. Bolin 2013 - current References External links *Home Page Category:Villages in Illinois Category:Villages in Winnebago County, Illinois Category:Rockford metropolitan area Category:Settlements established in 1927